The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-11-22
0USEHOLD AFFAIRS.
Cooking Cereals.

The main secret in the preparation of
cereals, says cool H0Usekeeping, is
thorough cooking; and this necessitates
cooking them slowly, in the proper guam
tity of liquid, for a considerable length
of time. y great deal has been written
about preparing mushcs for the table in
from two to twenty minutes, and many
cooks serve them prepared in that length
of time; but all cereals are more diges-
tiblc and much finer favored when
thoroughly cooked. The table given be-
low will be found approximately accurate
as regards the proportions of grain and
liquid to be used, and the length of time
required to perfectly cook the following
grains and grain products:
Pearled Wheat-Five measures of
liquid to each measure of wheat. Cook
from four to six hours.
Pearled Barley-Five measures of
liquid TO each measure Of barley. Cook
from four to six hours.
Coarse Hominy-Five measures of
liquid to each measure of hominy. Cook
from six TO ten hours.
Fine Hominy-Fou measures of liquid
to each measure of hominy. Cook from
four to six hours.
Coarse Oatmeal-Four measures of
liquid to each measure Of oatmeal. Cook
from tour to SIX hours.
Rolled Wheat Three measures of
liquid to each measure of wheat Cook
! two hours.
Rolled Barley.-Three measures of
liquid to each measure of barley. Cook
two hours.
Rolled Oats (Avena)-ThIee measures
of liquid to each measure of oats. Cook
, an hour.
Rice-Three measures of liquid to each
measure Of rice. Cook an hour.
Farina-Six measures of liquid to each
measure of farina. Cook half an hour
to an hour.
Cercaline Flakes-One measure of
LIQUID to each measure of cerealine
Cook half an hour.
Water alone can be used for cooking
,, any of the cereals, but most of them are
richer and finer favored when the LIQUID
used is milk and water, mixed in about
equal proportions. Especially is this the
case with barley, rice, hominy and farina.
The quantity of salt that should be used
in cooking cereals is largely a matter
of individual taste, as some people like
considerable, and some very little, salt in
their food. A safe general rule, how
ever, to follow, is to add half a teaspoon
full of salt to each pint Of liquid.
ALI cereals can ne COOhcU very pei
fectly in an ordinary agate ware or por-
celain-lined stew-pan, if carefully
watched and stirred; but, as much stir
ring renders cereals starchy, and robs
them of good deal of their finest favors,
a double boiler, frequently called
farina boiler, is much the best and most
convenient utensil for cooking mushes
and grains Of every kind.
To cook cereals in double boiler:
Fill the outside boiler wo-thirds full Of
| boiling water, put the necessary quantity
of liquid in the inside kettle, add the
/ requisite amount of salt, and when
it boils, sprinkle in the grain or meal,
stirring slowly until it swells or thickens
enough to keep it from settling to the
bottom of the kettle. Then cease stir
ring, and let it boil slowly until thor
oughly cooked. All mushes thicken in
cooling, and in preparing cereals to be
eaten cold the proportion of liquid
should be increased at least one third.
That is all good advice.